Food Trucks/Trailers
During a recent short visit to Austin, I was informed that they now have some 1300 food trucks/trailers.
Indeed, during my drive around town, I saw several "Trailer Parks" where a vacant lot had been turned into a food court with three, four, even five or six of the things sitting together with a parking area and maybe a few picnic tables.
I did not visit any of them, however.
BUT, I recently visited one here in Houston called Catfish Kitchen on Memorial, just east of Dairy Ashford. It is in a shopping center parking lot, right next to what used to be Memorial Grill and is now Schlotsky's.
Anyway, they serve catfish, shrimp and french fries. Maybe something else, but if so, I didn't catch it.
The catfish was very good in a cornmeal coating. The shrimp had a more delicate batter.
This is takeout only unless you want to eat on the hood of your car.
My buddy ordered the medium catfish and fries. Five nice pieces of catfish and french fries for $6.
I had five fish, five shrimp and fries for $10. (I had skipped lunch....Yeah, that was it!)
My only complaint is that they pack it to go in a styrofoam box and since it's fresh from the fryer, it tends to steam in transit. The catfish held up pretty well, but both the shrimp and fries wilted a little.
The next time, I'll either ask them to cut a couple of slits in the top, or I'll do it myself.
Would I drive across town for it? Hell no.
Will I be back? Absolutely. It was good, it was cheap and it's two miles from my house.
So that's mine.
Whachoogot?
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Tried Katfish Kitchen for lunch on day. Shrimp were good, and the fries were seasoned nicely. They were a bit dis-organized. 11:30 they were still getting prepared for the day. Someone must of talked to them about the holes in the Styrofoam boxes, mine had 5 holes punched in the top.
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Okay, Doobs, you called out all the reasons I DON"T go to food trucks: No place to eat freshly FRIED (often) food, fried food wilts, I don't eat in my car, ever, I don't eat outside in 100 degree heat even if they have a couple of card tables placed out. I see these food trucks talked about everywhere, including all the food channels and food blogs. Maybe I'll hit them up in the winter, but never, ever would I think about stopping for food in Houston from a food truck in summer, unless I was actually starving.
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re: Lambowner
DoobieWah
Jul 22, 2011 04:56 AM
Oh believe me, I get that.
At almost 51, I'm waaaay beyond being miserable for a taco. Even a great taco.
But to utterly eschew something good just because it's a "little" inconvenient? Naw.
And in this case, the pies are precooked. I just nuked it at the office for twenty seconds and it was delish. I'll be stopping by there whenever I'm feeling a little peckish in the morning, (which is infrequently anyway as I am not a breakfast person).
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re: DoobieWah
I've been trying to hit as many taco trucks as I can, but still trying to get to the other food trucks like Oh My Gogi etc.
My go-to's are the ones by the Mexican consulate since I can just take the train there. Happy Jalapeno is a non-truck but still is good. I also like the ones at Canino's, since i can also get some mangoes and other things while I'm there. The Ultimo truck at Long Point & Antoine has always hit the spot. Whenever I have to pick someone up at Hobby a stop at Tacos Del Mundo in the parking lot of that Valero on the corner (as you exit Hobby). Sorry for the vague locations - I'm directionally challenged.
As far as the heat goes, its a spectacular feeling to drink an ice-cold Mexican Coke (real sugar) in the blazing sun... makes me feel like a kid without a care in the world again!
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Been to Bernies Burger Bus for an awesome burger and even better fries.
Jarro used to be a favorite but I don't g as much. Great tacos with excellent sauces to pour over them.
El Tacambaro in back of Airline Farmers Mkt for the sweetbread tacos and gorditas.
Fusion Taco-Seems like they are never where you want them or on the right day? I had once and the food was very good. I want to try more!
Melange Creperie-Very good crepe but don't know if I am a crepe person? Have not been back.-----
Jarro Cafe
1521 Gessner Dr, Houston, TX 77080›6 Replies-
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re: DaTulip
Ok. I'll bite. I've had pastor and fajita tacos at Tacambaro, but haven't been in a while as I only go there during cool weather. Close to where I live are several El Norteno locations. One at Long Point and Pech, a location in an old school bus at Long Point and Gessner, a store front location on Long Point, and the one I go to on Long Point just west of Bunker Hill. We usually get the half chicken that comes with delicious charro beans. Also available on weekends are grilled spare ribs, costillas de puerco, usually ready after two or so. They too are very good. Another place I've been to several times is El Regio on Hammerly and Bingle, but there chicken and beans do not stand up to El Norteno's so I will not go back. There is also Taqueria Taconazo behing a tire store on Fulton, and they had on on Long Point and Wirt which I haven't seen in a while. The one on Fulton is really good.
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El Regio
8620 Hammerly Blvd, Houston, TX 77080-
re: James Cristinian
DoobieWah
Jul 21, 2011 07:27 AM
"We usually get the half chicken that comes with delicious charro beans. Also available on weekends are grilled spare ribs, costillas de puerco, usually ready after two or so."
It's 9:30 in the morning and I just had a breakfast meat pie from Sabor Venezolano as noted above, but those two sentences have me looking forward to lunch. I won't make it to El Norteno today, I'm afraid, but...
... soon and for the rest of my life.
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Sabor Venezolano
8621 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063-
re: DoobieWah
Doobs, the ribs being grilled are not the tender low and slow ribs many are accustomed to, but they have great flavor, but just a bit more bite. They are usually ready around two, but I wouldn't show up expecting them to be ready, the failure rate of procuring ribs is distressingly high. They have a businees card, so you can check on the progress of the costillas de puerco. I love the beans, and what the wife and I really like about the beans is they are never the same two times in a row. We always order extra beans, just tell them how many orders you want. Be sure to ask for both red and green hot sauces, as they may not include both, but will gladly give you as much as you want. The chicken also comes with a side of beans, grilled onions, grilled jalapenos, and corn tortillas. They also do a combo platter with fajitas and beef ribs, but the beef ribs are the thin kind with bone in, I'm just not wild about them, but others may be. A smattering of Spanish is helpful here depending upon who is running the trailer.
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DaTulip
Jul 14, 2011 02:28 PM
Here is a link to a site that corrals some of the tweets of the Houston area food trucks (at least those that the site knows about I guess - though there are actually fewer now than there used to be):
Of the ones we've tried, my personal favs are:
H-Town StrEATs - great short rib mac n cheese sandwich
No Borders (related to Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen)
Hit N Run - fish tacos & sweet potato fries and
Zilla Street Eats - chicken and waffles
There is also a group doing Food Truck Crawls on the 4th Friday of the month:
Just found a page where someone is reviewing (in their opinion) the top 100 Food Trucks in Houston:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Houston...
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Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen
6401 Woodway Dr, Houston, TX 77057›3 Replies-
re: DaTulip
DoobieWah
Jul 14, 2011 02:36 PM
Thanks for the links. I was hoping to get some good reviews and suggestions from our little CH family. I trust you guys more than Twits or Yelps.
Looks like Jaymes was right about Hillary and her HTownFoodCrawl after all.
She was just here fishing for customers it appears.
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re: DoobieWah
DaTulip
Jul 14, 2011 07:22 PM
I missed it. What is her CH name?
My only advice to her/the food crawl group is to be better organized. I'm sure it'll get better, but it's like no one knows what they're doing - sort of fly by the seat of your pants style. I guess it fits with the food truck style. I'm pretty sure a lot of these guys wake up after a night of partying & decide I'd they're going to work that day. At least that has been our experience - that on the whole they're not dependable, but are good if it fits where you are at the time.
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DoobieWah
Jul 14, 2011 02:18 PM
Two additional thoughts:
1) Jaymes' BBQ trailer in Katy on Mason would count and I still intend to try it some Saturday; and
2) There used to be a Guatamalan (?) truck at the SW corner of Westheimer and Fondren in the gas station parking lot. I used to stop by there for breakfast meat pies occasionally and then one day they were just gone. They did a good business, so I am sure they just moved but I have never spotted them again. Anyone know?
›6 Replies-
re: DoobieWah
That's a Venezuelan food truck on Westheimer @ Fondren, the Sabor Venezolano. I only noticed it because I used to live in Venezuela. I haven't tried it, but I hear it is quite good. Now that I think of it, I've never been to any food truck.
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Sabor Venezolano
8621 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063-
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re: DoobieWah
DoobieWah
Jul 21, 2011 07:19 AM
Found it. It's at the SE corner of Crossview and Westheimer a mere 100 yards east from where I lost it.
It's in the parking lot of a generic gas station next to what was once Birraparetti's.
I almost missed it even when I was looking for it and had to turn around on Crossview and park on the street. Terrible visibility and parking but at least now "I" know where it is.
Thanks for the heads-up Lambowner.
BTW, I had a chicken meat pie. Just as I remembered it.
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re: Lambowner
texasredtop
Aug 21, 2011 01:44 PM
I was trying to think if I'd ever been to a food truck and remembered only one. Odd story - it was in Tofino, British Columbia, about as far from Texas as you can imagine and the owner and cook was Lisa from Texas. It was called SOBO and a huge hit there. I had the fried oyster app and it was ONE fried oyster - lol. That oyster was almost as big as my fist. Weird. It was okay but I wouldn't have fried it had I been handed it and told to cook it. I think I also had fish tacos which I imagine were good but not remarkable enough to be sure. If they were great or bad, I would remember. The only food I've really ever adored in Tofino is the dungeness crab at two local restaurants.
But SOBO was a huge success and all the summer surfers hitchhiking in would spend their last $20 on a meal there before rounding the bend into town. I understand they sold it a couple of years ago. The last time we were there was 2008. Maybe I should go check it out for myself :-)
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